The Indian Premier League ( IPL ) 2022 season was one of the most exciting ones and. I thoroughly enjoyed all the 74 games played over two months. Though this annual tournament is often criticised for its glitz and glamour, the flamboyance and some big money involved, there is no denying the fact that this tournament has been a great opportunity for many a player to showcase their talent in front of the world and particularly for Indian Cricket it is a hot bed for producing the stars of the future and developing a robust Indian Team. IPL also gives many players another avenue to focus professionally as not everyone can make it to the National side. Taking a holistic view it would be fair to say that IPL has a festive spirit associated with it and is surely a giver of Hope.
This IPL season witnessed some amazing Indian talent on display and it has to be said that the Indian Flavour in particular, spiced up the IPL no end and has motivated me to write this post today. I have identified the top 5 young and upcoming uncapped Indian players who fiercely held my attention and captivated cricket lovers not only in India but across the world with their exquisite skills and some breathtaking performances.
So Here we Go .
5. Mohsin Khan, LSG
The well built left arm fast bowler from Sambhal, Moradabad and playing for Lucknow Super Giants ( LSG ), Mohsin Khan was one of the finds of the season. As stated by KL Rahul the LSG captain, facing Mohsin Khan at the nets in practise was a tough proposition. Mohsin not only has pace and variations in his armoury, but his high arm action generates bounce from even a good length thus making him difficult to play. The natural angle which his delivery takes, further makes him an awkward bowler to face for right handed batters.
In the 9 matches he played, Mohsin took 14 wickets giving away just 5.97 runs an over. Going for less than 6 runs an over is an exceptional statistic and speaks volumes about the player. He also clocked the 5th fastest ball bowled in the season at 151 kph. Mohsin has huge talent and the future looks good for him. However it would be interesting to see how he hones his skills further and becomes an invaluable asset for the teams he plays for.
4. Tilak Varma, MI
There was already a lot of buzz around Tilak Varma, the 19 year old left handed precocious batting talent from Hyderabad, even before he made his debut for Mumbai Indians ( MI ) this season and by the time he walked out to bat for the first time there were already heavy expectations weighing on the young man’s shoulder. As destiny would have it Tilak Varma was pushed straight into the cauldron from his very first match onwards. With the top order of MI failing almost every match, the responsibility to resurrect the innings of MI fell on Tilak Varma straightaway.
Alongwith his assured batting skills, technique and his aggressive stroke play, what impressed me the most was Tilak’s amazing temperament in a crisis situation. He seldom failed to deliver for MI this season and was the back bone of MI’s batting. He scored 397 runs in 14 outings, but more than the runs he scored his handling of tough situations was exemplary and that is why he is no.4 on my list. Tilak indeed a great find and could well be knocking on the doors of national selection much sooner than later.
3. Rajat Patidar, RCB
This is an amazing story of a player who went unsold at the Auction and was only picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore ( RCB ) as a replacement player when half of the tournament had already elapsed. Rajat Patidar came to RCB camp midway and played like a dream. The Cricketer from Indore who was a part of RCB a few seasons ago caught eyeballs with his exhilarating stroke play and enthralled one and all. Seeing him bat I was astonished too. The extent of improvement in his game was exceptional.
It clearly showed that Rajat and put in some extraordinary effort in improving his batting. He appeared unruffled on the big stage which reflected his temperament too. His 112 not out against a strong LSG team in the Eliminator would go down as one of the best IPL inings I have seen. Free stroking Rajat played brilliantly when it mattered most and scored 333 runs in just 8 games. However, for the impact he created and for the authority he exuded in the middle, Rajat Patidar ranks no.3 on my list.
Coming to the top two positions I was caught in a dilemma. My heart going for one and the mind going for the other. It was difficult to take a call, so I decided to do away with the no.2 spot and share the top position with the two players who seriously captured my imagination and without any doubts in my mind have been the most enticing flavours of this season.
1. Rinku Singh, KKR
This humble, unassuming, hardworking, cricketer from Aligarh has won millions of hearts this season and I am no exception. Rinku Singh, finally got his opportunity to showcase his skills for Kolkata Knight Riders( KKR )after 6 years of waiting in the wings. It has been a tough ride for this simple cricketer. Inspite of a long and sometimes demoralising wait, Rinku kept persevering and working on his game. In the seasons gone by we did see a glimpse of a player fielding with gusto who gave it everything for his team. He tried incredibly hard all the time.
Fortunes took a decisive turn for Rinku this year. He made his bat talk, scored some tough runs for KKR when it mattered and fielded as if there was no tomorrow coming, and more importantly remained grounded. Rinku scored 174 runs in 7 games for KKR this season, but his impact on KKR has been profound. His blistering energy in the field and a never say die attitude has only helped the Knight Riders. I am certain once Rinku gets a full IPL to play, he would be a mighty game changer. He is my no.1 from the heart.
1. Umran Malik, SRH
The son of a Fruit Vendor from Jammu, playing with tennis balls just a few years ago, has taken the cricket community including players, critics and followers by a speeding storm. Umran Malik is the name of this whirlwind. who this IPL has not only made life difficult for batters with his seering pace, rattling them and many a times easing past their defenses to shatter the timber behind, has made a serious claim to be the fastest bowler in the world at this moment. Notwithstanding the fact that Lockie Ferguson pipped him to the post by bowling the fastest delivery at 157.3 kph against Umran’s 157, this season, it is the ability of Umran Malik to keep bowling at high speeds all the time, differentiates him from the rest.
The smooth rhythmic action supported by a strong lower body, generates tremendous pace for Umran and though many a purist have called him out to focus on line and length and sacrifice a bit of pace, the 22 wickets taken by him ( 4th on the leaderboard this season ), the Emerging Player Award and an India call up is testimony enough that he is doing most things right. There is always something exciting about pace bowlers and Umran is no different. He has a great future ahead and has the potential to bring in immense laurels for the country. The boy from Jammu has become the toast of a nation. He is indeed the no.1 flavour of the season.
The post cannot be complete without a mention of the Champions Gujarat Titans, brilliantly led by the resurgent Hardik Pandya. The Team played flawless cricket and particularly was exceptional when it came to critical moments of the game. Hardik displayed great calmness and maturity and led from the front to take the Titans home. What an astounding achievement.
Curtains have come down on the TATA IPL 2022, leaving us wanting for more. The flavours have been rich this season and I hope to write a similar recipe post IPL 2023.